Automatic retaining-valve for use in automatic fluid-pressure brake systems.



Patten-ted Mar. 25, |902. y

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(Applicatm lsd Oct. 1g', 1901-.)

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y ATTORNEYS.

UNITED v STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY E. PARSONS AND HEISTER O. DERR, OF N ESCOPEOK, PENNSYLVANIA;

SAID DERR ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE OF IHS RIGHT TO JEROME W.y PIFER, OF NESCOPECK, PENNSYLVANIA. I

AUTOMATIC RETAINING-VALVE FOR USE IN AUTOMATIC FLUID-PRESSURE BRAKE SYSTEMS.

SPECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 696,264, dated March 2551902.

Application filed October l6, 1901. Serial No. 78,854. (No model.)

To all whom, it mag/concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY E. PARSONS and HEISTER C. DERR, citizens of the United States, residing at Nescopeck, county of Luzerne, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Retaining-Valves for Use in Automatic Fluid-Pressure Brake Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference be- :o ing had to the accompanying drawings, in

whichv Figure l is a side elevation showing the triple valve, auxiliary Jreservoir, the brake cylinder, and the retaining-valve connected to the triple valve and the auxiliary reservoir.

Fig. 2 is a Vertical sectional View of the retaining-Valve; and Fig. 3 is a similar view of ilie retaining-valve, taken in the line 3 3 of zo Our 'invention relates to iiuid -pressure brakes for railway-trains, and is especially adapted for use in connection with the well-v p 3o the locomotive or tender, from which` the yair is led through a controllingvalve in the cab (the engineers valve) to airain-pipe connected rwith auxiliary reservoirs located underv the cars. A triple valve controls the iiow of air from the train-pipo to each auxiliary reservoir and from the reservoir to the brakecylinder, the valve being so constructed that when the air-pressure'in the train-pipe is at its normalseventy pounds-the triple valve opens communication between the train-pipe and the auxiliary reservoir and closes the passage from the reservoir to the brake-cylinder, the latter being opened to the atmospherethrough an exhaust-port in the triple valve. To apply the brakes, the engineer reduces the train-pipe pressure, which causes the triple valve to cut off the reservoir from Vthe train-pipe, connect the reservoir with the brake-cylinder, and closethe exhau st. This operation of course draws part of the air from the auxiliary reservoirinto the brakecylinder, and this loss can only be made up y by a fresh supply from the main reservoir;r but in order to recharge the auxiliary reser-v voir the triple valve must be moved to connect said reservoir with the train-pipe, and when the valve is so moved it opens the exhaust and allows the air in the brake-cylinder to escape. It is therefore impossible in the Westinghouse system as commonly con- 6o structedvand used to recharge the auxiliary reservoir and yet keep the brakes set. To be able to do this is frequently very desirable where a great many stops have to be made in quick succession or where a long grade requires a constant application of the brakes for a considerable timein which case the auxiliary-reservoir pressure may fall so low by leakage as to be unable to hold the train.

The object of our invention is to provide 7o means for refilling the auxiliary reservoir in automatic fluid-pressure railway-brake systems without releasing the brakes; and to this end it consists of a pressure-retaining valve controlling the escape of air from the brake cylinder,V which pressure retaining valve is operated vfrom the locomotive by the engineer for the purpose of opening the brakec'ylinder exhaust-port.

By pressureretaining valve we meana 8o valve which acts to retain in the brake-cylinder a certain pressure of air, which would be allowed to escape when the train-pipe pressure is increased for the purpose of recharging the auxiliary reservoirs if the escape-port 8 5 were not controlled by the pressureeretaining valve.

Referring to the various parts by numeralsy f 1 designates thefauxiliary reservoir; 2, the brake-cylinder; 8, the triple-valve mechan- 9o ism, and 3a the train-pipe.

The pressure-controlling mechanism 4E is in communication with the exhaust port or brake-release port of the triple valve and with the auxiliary reservoir, and consists of the vertical casing 5, having a compartment at each of its ends, said compartmentsbeing formed by transverse partitions 6. One end of the casing is closed by a head 7, which is threaded into the casing, and said head is roo formed with a central longitudinalpassage, which is threaded to receive the threaded stem S of the pressure-regulating device 9. Within the compartment G, formed between thehead 7 and the adjacent partition G, is mounted the brake-cylinder-pressure-regulating valve 10. This valve consists of the head 11, which seats on the partition G and carries a central stem 12, whose free end is guided in a central recess in the inner end of the stem S of the pressure-regulating device 9. Surrounding the valve-stem and bearing against the head of the valve and the end of the stein S is a light coil-spring 13. This spring is adjusted by means of the stemS to resist any desired pressure on the valve-head, usually fifteen pounds. Through the side of the casing is formed an outlet-port 14, which communicates with the compartment (5, iiush with the surface of the partition 6, so that air will exhaust through the said port immediately on forcing the valve from its seat on the partition 6. Opening into this compartment through the partition 6 is an inlet-port 15, which is closed by the valve 10. Communicating with this port and with the exhaustport of the triple valve is a pipe 16, which is provided with a three-way Valve 17, by which the air from the triple valve may be exhausted into the atmosphere or be caused to Iiow through the pipe 16 to compartment G. The other end of the casing contains a valve-opening mechanism and it is closed by ahead 18, which is threaded therein, and is provided with a central inlet-port 10, which communicates with the compartment 6b, formed between the head and the adjacent partition 6. Seated on the inner surface of the head 18 is an air-tight plunger-valve 20, which carries a central stem 2l, said stem being guided through central openings in the partitions 6 and extending into close proximity to the head 11 ofthe valve 10. Vithin the com partment 6ll is a heavy coil-spring 22, which surrounds the stem of the valve 2O and bears at one of its ends against the adjacent partition and at its other end against the valve 2O to hold said valve tothe end of the head against a pressure of seventy pounds. The port 1f) of the head 18 is placed in communication with the auxiliary reservoir by means of a pipe 23,v

so that whatever pressure there may bein said auxiliary reservoir will be exerted to lift the valve 20. It will of course be understood that the spring 22 may be designedto resist any desired pressure on the valve 20. It will also be lnoted that the pipe 23 may be connected to the train-pipe or at any point to vreceive the main pressure, if desired, instead Vith the 0rdi-.

valve will retain lifteen pounds in the brakev cylinder when the release-port of the triple valve is opened by the air iiowing through the triple valve to the auxiliary reservoir when recharging. The pressure may be increased in the auxiliary reservoir to near seventy pounds (the strength of the spring 22) without releasing the fifteen pounds held in the brake-cylinder by the spring 13. By this means the auxiliary reservoir may be recharged as often as necessary wit-hout releasing the brakes.

Vhen it is desired to release the brakes, the air-pressure in the auxiliary reservoir is raised to seventy pounds. This pressure is suicient to compress spring 22 sulliciently to raise valve 2O and cause the stem 21 to contact with valve-head 11 and raise it from its seat, thereby permitting air to exhaust from the release 0f the triple valve through pipe 16, ports 15 and 14 to the atmosphere.

When it is necessary to stop at a depot or at a water-tower, or, in fact, anyplace where a quick release is'necessary, it requires a reduction in trainpipe pressure of twenty-five pounds. As twenty-five pounds excess pressure is always carried in main reservoir, (sometimes this excess pressure amounts to thirty-live or forty pounds,) it will be noted that there is vsufficient pressure to release immediately. pounds and there is twenty-five pounds excess pressure, the instant the reduction is made the pumps start and gai u the required prossure at once.

By opening the valve 17 the air from the triple-valve release may be exhausted directly into the atmosphere.

It will be noted that our retaining-valve forms absolutely noobstruetion to the quick 4application of the brakes, and as the auxiliary reservoir may be charged to nearly seventy pounds while the brakes are held applied it will be readily seen that after this pressure has been attained the brakes may be quickly released when desired by increasing the pressure slightly to compress spring 22. By thus providing a spring-pressed valve formaintaining a pressure in the brake-cylinder and a release for said valve, which is operated by a predetermined pressure, the auxiliary reservoir or train-pipe, it will be seen that after the apparatus is once charged and the brakes ap- IOO IIO

If the pressure be reduced thirty plied there Willalways be a'sufticient pressure maintained in the auxiliary cylinders to apply the brakes, it being necessary to produce this pressure therein before the brakes can be released.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-' A 1. In an automaticfluid-pressure brake Vsystem, the combination of an auxiliary reservoir, a triple valve, a Huid-pressure-retainin g means consisting of a valve-chamber formed with an inlet-port and an outlet-port, a valve in said chamber and normally closing said ports, means for connectingthe release-port of the triple valve With the inlet to said chamber, means for causing said valve to resist a predetermined pressure from the release-port of the triple valve, and a Valve-openin g mechanism consisting of a tubular casing formed With a port at one end,'a plunger-valve thereiin and closing-said port, means for placing said portV in communication with the auxiliary-reservoir pressure, a stem carried by said plunger-v alve and adapted to move the brakecylinder pressure regulating valve, and means for causing the plunger-valve to resist the auxiliary-reservoir pressure until a predetermined pressure is reached, substantially as'described.

2. In an automatic Huid-pressure brake system, the combination of an auxiliary reservoir, a triple valve, a fluid-pressure-retaining means consisting of a valve-chamber formed with an inlet-port and an outlet-port, a valve in said chamber and normally.7 closing said ports, means for connecting the release-port of the triple valve With the inlet to said chamber, means for causing said valve to resist a pressure from the release-port of the triple valve, means for varying the resistance ot' the valve, and a valve-opening mechanism consisting of a tubular casing formed with a port at one end, a plunger-valve therein and closing said port, means for placing said port in communication with the auxiliary reservoir, a stem carried by said valve and adapted to move the pressure regulating valve, and means for causing the plunger-valve tore'sist the auxiliary-reservoir pressure until a predetermined' pressure -is reached, substantially as described.

3. A pressure-controlling mechanism consisting of a valve-chamber formed with an inlet-port and an outlet-port, a valve therein 1 closing said ports, means for placing its inletport in communication with the release-port of a triple Valve, means for causing said valve to resist a predetermined pressure from the triple valve, and a valve-opening mechanism consisting of a casing formed with a port, a

plunger-valve thereinclosing s aid port, means for causing said valve to resist -a Vpredetermined pressure, a device carried by the plunger-valve and normally' out of engagement with the pressure-retaining valve and adapted to be movedto engage the pressure-regulatgage and raise the ing valve, to move it when the plunger-Valve is moved.

4. A pressure-controlling mechanism consistin g of a tubular casin g formed with a valvechamber at one end having an inlet andan outlet port, a valve therein closin g said ports, means for connecting the inlet-port to the release-port of a'triple valve, means for causing said valve to resist a predetermined pressure from said release-port, a valve-chamber at the other end of said casing and provided with a port, an air-tight plunger-valve in said casing and closing the port, means for connecting said port to the auxiliary reservoir, means for causing said plunger to resist a predetermined pressure from the auxiliary reservoir, and a device connected to the plunger-valve and adapted to4 move the pressure -regulating valve When an-excessive pressure is reached in the auxiliary reservoir.

5. A pressure-controlling mechanismconsisting of a valve-chamber formed with an inlet-port and an outlet-port, a pressure-'retaining valve therein closing said ports, a valveopening mechanism consisting of a casing formed With an inlet-port, a'piston therein closing said port, the pressure-retaining valve being free to move independent of thelpiston, means for holding the pistonand the pressureretaining valve to their seats by differential pressure devices, Vand a device normally out 7 of engagement with the pressure-retaining valve and adapted to be moved by the piston to raise the pressure-retaining valve fromrits seat toV open the outlet-port of the pressureretaining-valve chamber.

6. In an automatic fluid pressure .brake system, the combination of`an auxiliary res'- ervoir, a triple valve, a uid-pressure-retaining means consisting of a vvalve-chamber formed with an inlet-'port and an outlet-port, a pressure-retaining valve in said -chamber and normally closing said ports,'meansffor connecting the release-port of the triple valve Withthe inlet to said chamber, and a valveopening mechanism consisting of a'tubular casing formed with a port at one end, a plunger therein closing said port, means for placing said port in communication vviththemain pressure, dierential pressure'devices for holding the pressure-retaining valve and the piston-valve to their seats, the pressureretaining valve'being movable independently of the piston-valve, and a device normally out of engagement with the pressure-retaining valve and moved by the piston-valve to en-V pressure-retainingvalve fromits seat'.`

7. A pressure-controlling mechanism consisting of a tubular casing formed 'Witha valve-'chamber at one end having an inlet and an `outlet port, a pressure-retaining'valve therein closing said ports, a valve-chamber IOO IIO

at the other end of said casing and provided with an inlet-port, a plunger-valve in said casing and closing the port, differential pressure devices for holding the pressure retaining valve and the plunger-valve to their seats, the 1I In testimony whereof we heren nto aiiix onipressure-retaining valve being movable indel signatures, in the presence of two Witnesses, Io pendently of the plunger-Valve and :t device this 9th day 0f October, 1901. connected to the plunger-valve and normally l HARRY E. PARSONS.

out of engagement with the pressure-retain- IIEISTER C. DERR.

ing Valve and adapted to lift the pressure-retaining Valve from its seat when the plunger- Witnesses:

ALEX. C. JACKSON,

valve is moved. l JOHN V. EVANS. 

